71.1 A person who has a conflict
of interest or was a member of the protest committee shall not take
any part in the discussion or decision on an appeal or a request for confirmation
or correction.

71.2 The national authority may uphold, change
or reverse a protest committee’s decision; including a decision on validity
or a decision under rule 69. Alternatively, the national
authority may order that a hearing be reopened, or that a new hearing be held
by the same or a different protest committee. When the national authority decides
that there shall be a new hearing, it may appoint the protest committee.

71.3 When from the facts found by the protest
committee the national authority decides that a boat that was a party
to a protest hearing broke a rule and
is not exonerated, it shall penalize her, whether or not that boat or that rule
was mentioned in the protest committee’s decision.

71.4 The decision of the national authority
shall be final. The national authority shall send its decision in writing to
all parties to the hearing and the protest
committee, who shall be bound by the decision.